Study in Sweden: Your Essential Academic Guide
European Diary ◆ 15 August 2024
Study in Sweden with our elementary guide: learn about the education system, application process, costs, and more for non-EU students.
The article you are reading is directed towards non-EU citizens who wish to pursue their studies in any of the European countries like Sweden.
This article discusses some elementary information about studying in Sweden, for instance, including an overview of the Swedish education system, application dates and procedures, admission requirements, and various types of institutions offering educational programs.
Additionally, we will provide fundamental information on tuition costs, living expenses, and how to manage the application process properly.
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Capital
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Large Cities
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Official Language
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Area
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Density of Population
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Currency
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Listed Universities
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Ranked Universities
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Stockholm
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Gothenburg, Malmö, Uppsala, Linköping
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Swedish
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450,295 km²
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26 per km²
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Swedish Krona (SEK)
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39
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8 (QS world university rankings)
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1. Swedish Educational System
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- Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are available in Sweden.
- Moreover, course durations vary by degree level.
- Additionally, the language of instruction may be English, Swedish, or both.
In Sweden, people can get both Bachelor’s and master’s degree courses. The first cycle has Bachelor’s degrees, while the second has master’s degrees.
Specifically, the period for a bachelor’s degree spans from three to four years, and for a master’s degree, it is usually just two years. Moreover, the courses may be taught in English or Swedish or occasionally both.
Typically, most Bachelor’s degrees are in Swedish, but universities will offer a few programs in English, too. On the other hand, at the master’s level, there are plenty of options available in English.
2. Intakes and Deadlines
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- Sweden has two primary intakes: Autumn and Spring.
- Additionally, Autumn is the major intake, with limited options for Summer.
- Furthermore, application periods and deadlines vary for each intake.
Sweden has two significant intakes. Namely, Autumn, which starts in August-September, and Spring, which begins in January. Additionally, some options are also available for Summer intake but are very limited. In particular, September or Autumn is the major intake, and applications open for both Bachelor’s and Master’s in mid-October, the year before the intake; therefore, deadlines are in January.
Conversely, for January or Spring intake, applications open in June, the year before the intake, and the deadlines are usually mid-August.
3. Universities and Programmes
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- Programmes cover a wide range of fields, including engineering, IT, business, arts, and more.
- However, not all Bachelor’s programmes are available in English; check individual university websites for details.
Sweden has public universities and university colleges. Specifically, there are 15 public universities in Sweden. Similarly, talking about university colleges, there are 15 of them as well. In addition, there are seven private universities and institutions that usually offer PG degrees.
Moreover, there are programmes for all tastes, whether it is engineering or IT, mathematics or business, song music or arts, language studies or public health and education.
So, as I mentioned earlier,
Not all Bachelor’s programmes are offered in English. Thus, go through their website before your visit to find out if these courses are taught in English.
- Uppsala University
- Lund University
- University of Gothenburg
- Stockholm University
- Karolinska Institutet
- Umeå University
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology
- Linköping University
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Luleå University of Technology
- Karlstad University
- Örebro University
- Mid Sweden University
- Linnaeus University
- Malmö University
- Royal Institute of Art
- Royal College of Music, Stockholm
- University of Arts, Crafts and Design
- University of Borås
- Dalarna University
- Mälardalen University
- Kristianstad University
- University of Skövde
- Gävle University College
- Halmstad University
- Blekinge Institute of Technology
- University West
- Södertörn University
- Swedish Defence University
- Stockholm University of the Arts
- Johannelund School of Theology
- Chalmers University of Technology
- Stockholm School of Economics
- Jönköping University Foundation
- Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College
- Sophiahemmet University College
- University College Stockholm
According to QS, Sweden has two universities that rank among the top 100, six others that sit among the top 200, and eight of them are within the global top 500. Similarly, in the Times Higher Education rankings, there are 2 Swedish universities in the top 100, 6 universities in the top 200, and 10 universities in the top 500 globally.
4. Tuition Fee
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- Bachelor’s fees: 350,000-800,000 SEK.
- Engineering programmes cost around 500,000 SEK.
- In contrast, creative courses (Fine Arts, Music) can exceed 800,000 SEK.
- Master’s fees: around 175,000 SEK.
- However, some programmes can be as low as 95,000 SEK.
Now we can discuss where money comes into play, starting from tuition fees. Typically, about 350,000 Swedish Krona (SEK) are needed as fees for an entire 3-year course at the bachelor’s level. However, a few courses, such as Engineering, may go up to around 500,000 SEK for the whole programme. Moreover, creative courses like Fine Arts and Music can cost northwards of 800,000 SEK for the whole programme.
You may need to know that for Master’s programmes, the fee averages around 175,000 SEK for the entire course. Nonetheless, some courses in Health Science or creative programmes can be a bit expensive, and in contrast, some programmes may cost as little as 95,000 SEK for the whole course.
Read more: [coming soon]
5. Cost of Living
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- Monthly living costs in Sweden: at least 9,450 SEK.
- However, costs may vary based on needs, income, location, and spending habits.
Living costs are a costly affair. Similar to many Scandinavian countries, it might be a little bit expensive to live in Sweden. According to Study in Sweden website, you must accumulate at least 9450 Swedish Krona for your monthly upkeep.
Nevertheless, it is crucial to point out that the aforementioned figure is merely average and may differ based on what one needs, income level, town, and individual spending habits.
Read more: [coming soon]
6. Application Process
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- Application Process: Use University Admissions in Sweden website for a streamlined application experience.
- Application Cost: 900 SEK.
- Additionally, you need an MOI (Medium Of Instruction) to apply.
On to our main discussion point—the application process. Fortunately, you do not need to visit individual university websites separately or go through the trouble of creating different accounts to apply to any Swedish university. Instead, University Admissions in Sweden has been designed by Swedish universities and the Swedish Council for Higher Education as a single-stop shop where you can find courses offered by various colleges and submit applications without any intermediaries involved.
The procedure is straightforward: visit the site, select a degree program and a college, sign up for an account on the site, and wait until it’s time for applications. Notably, it costs 900 SEK to apply. For a bachelor’s degree, you will need your schooling mark sheets, passport, and English language proficiency test, usually 6.5 in IELTS, with no band less than 5.5. Additionally, Math will also be required for most degree programmes.
Moreover, for Masters, you will need your complete education documents, passport, and English language proficiency test IELTS, a minimum of 6.5 with no band less than 5.5. Furthermore, TOEFL iBT and PTE are also accepted, and many universities will also accept English grades from class 12, but do check beforehand.
Read more: [coming soon]
7. Documentation for Study Visa
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- Need five major reqquirements like copies of passport, financial support document etc.
- Additionally, Several financial requirements are needed also.
There are five major requirements for applying for a Swedish study visa. These are:
- Copies of your passport
- Admission to a Swedish institution
- Financial support documents showing that you have financial support.
- Documentation confirming your possession or application for any health insurance policy that covers your stay in Sweden.
- Application fee for the visa.
To qualify for a study visa, you need to show that you can support yourself with 9450 Swedish Krona each month. Thus, if you are going to stay in Sweden for one year, you will need to provide records indicating that you have 9450 times 12, which equals 113,400 Krona. Additionally, bank statements or certificates of income may also serve as proof.
It is important to note that this implies you need 1500 Swedish Krona for a student visa application fee. You can then fill out an online form and obtain a student visa.
Read more: [coming soon]
8. Part-time jobs and post-study work visas
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- No limits on part-time work hours for students.
- However, jobs may be hard to find due to language requirements.
- Additionally, internships are often included in degree programmes.
- Regarding post-study work visas, a 12-month extension is allowed to seek employment or start a business.
- Once employment is secured, you can apply for work permission.
The good news is that there are no limits on the number of hours students may work part-time in Sweden. Nevertheless, finding such jobs may prove difficult since most customer service positions require knowledge of the Swedish language (which could be an additional factor).
On the bright side, many degree programs include internships that could provide powerful support during that time. Regarding post-study work visas, after finishing your studies, you may apply for an extension of 12 months, within which you can seek employment in Sweden or establish your own company. Once you secure employment, you become eligible to gain permission to work in the country.
Read more: [coming soon]
In summary, Sweden has lots of chances for non-EU nationals as they intend to study in an attractive and friendly atmosphere. If you want to investigate more about any of those subjects, you can click on the “read more” hyperlinks placed throughout this blog. These will connect you with more resources and details that can guide your choices.
Essential Links:
Apply for a Swedish University: https://www.universityadmissions.se/